Apple shook up its iPhone lineup with the Awe Dropping event’s iPhone Air introduction. The dramatically thinner device, which drops the “17” series number in its name, replaces the Plus model. The super-slim new handset is Apple’s biggest iPhone design departure in years, packing Pro features and remarkably long battery life into a slight-yet-powerful handset.
“We are thrilled to introduce the impossibly thin iPhone Air at 5.6 millimeters,” said John Ternus, Apple senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “It’s the thinnest iPhone we’ve ever made, and it’s also exceptionally light. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever held before, and it’s packed with our most advanced features.”
Awe Dropping event: iPhone Air launches as Apple’s biggest phone redesign in years
Photo: Apple
The iPhone Air represents Apple’s boldest iPhone design change in years, potentially setting the tone for future iPhone development while offering users a compelling alternative to both standard and Pro models. The defining feature of iPhone Air is its remarkably slim profile. Just a tenth of a millimeter thicker than rumors suggested, iPhone Air measures 5.6mm thick, making it substantially thinner than current models in a titanium body rather than its siblings’ aluminum. For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro measures 8.25mm thick, while the base iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are 7.8mm.
This makes iPhone Air even thinner than Apple’s previous thinnest model, the iPhone 6, which measured 6.9mm. However, the camera bump adds additional thickness. And it’s worth noting this model gets Ceramic Shield on both front and back, making it tough despite its thinness — and the most durable iPhone ever made, according to Apple.
Display sits between Pro and Pro Max sizes
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iPhone Air features a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display. That positions it perfectly between the iPhone 17 Pro’s 6.3-inch screen and the Pro Max’s 6.9-inch display. This size could appeal to users who find the Pro too small but the Pro Max too large.
The display includes premium features typically reserved for Pro models. For the first time, Always On display and ProMotion high refresh rate technology (up to 120Hz) come to a new model, iPhone Air.
Camera compromises for slim design
To achieve iPhone Air’s ultra-thin profile, Apple made some camera trade-offs. iPhone Air features only a 48MP rear Fusion camera system for wide-angle shots, lacking the ultrawide and telephoto lenses found on Pro models. But Apple said the system is like multiple cameras in one, packing 26mm, 28mm, 35mm and 52mm lenses.
And there’s positive news for selfie enthusiasts. All iPhone 17 models, including the Air, receive an upgraded 18MP front-facing Center Stage camera, a significant improvement over the current 12MP sensors. Although rumors pegged it at 24MP.
Notably, iPhone’s first use of a square front sensor enables users to capture a wide field of view, and they need to rotate the phone to capture a landscape image. And thanks to Center Stage’s AI, it will adjust the field of view to capture everyone in a shot.
Performance and internal specifications
iPhone Air packs the new A19 Pro chip, just with fewer GPU cores than the Pro models enabled. But it also includes the new N1 networking chip and C1X modem chip — so it packs more Apple-made chips than any other iPhone.
Memory is getting a significant boost, with the iPhone Air includes 12GB of RAM, matching the Pro models. This increase is attributed to the demands of Apple Intelligence features.
Battery life, C1x modem
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Despite its thin profile, the iPhone Air doesn’t not suffer dramatically in battery life. It uses a silicon-anode battery technology, a first for any iPhone. Additionally, a high-density battery design increases actual capacity by 15% to 20%. It features a 2,900mAh capacity.
The phone also benefits from iOS 26’s new Adaptive Power feature, which automatically adjusts iPhone performance based on usage to conserve battery.
And a connectivity change for iPhone Air — Apple’s in-house C1x modem — helps boost battery life a bit. The C1 modem first showed up earlier this year in iPhone 16e. Battery improvement is among its several benefits.
New Accessories
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- iPhone Air Case with MagSafe features an ultra-thin translucent design with a lightly frosted interior, a high-gloss outer surface and a reinforced polycarbonate frame. Available in frost and shadow colors.
- Slim and lightweight iPhone Air Bumper frames iPhone Air with a reinforced polycarbonate design for added edge protection. Available in four matching colors.
- Crossbody Strap, made from recycled yarns, drapes comfortably, with embedded flexible magnets and stainless steel sliding mechanisms to easily adjust the length and keep both straps securely aligned. Crossbody Strap comes in 10 colors: black, light gray, blue, light blue, purple, sienna, green, neon yellow, tan and orange.
- The thin and light iPhone Air MagSafe Battery attaches to the back of the iPhone Air. The MagSafe Battery quickly charges the handset when the battery is low and maximizes battery life when connected throughout the day, delivering up to 40 hours of video playback when used together.
Colors, pricing and release timing
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The iPhone Air comes in four color options: space black, cloud white, light gold and sky blue.
iPhone Air pricing starts at $999. But tariff policies could cause flux with pricing going forward.
Following Apple’s traditional schedule, preorders for the iPhone Air and others in the 17 lineup begin Friday, with shipping commencing a week later.
Source: Apple
